Strawberry Crumble Ice Cream

This no churn ice cream recipe doesn’t require an ice cream maker. Combine a few simple ingredients together, fold in a homemade strawberry sauce & a buttery brown sugar crumble, and you have a delicious, ready-to-eat ice cream after 6-8 hours of freezing!

I love ice cream. If I could eat it every day with no consequences, I probably would. Unfortunately, that’s not usually the case, but when I am in the mood to indulge, I have the perfect recipe. No churn strawberry crumble ice cream.

Here’s Why You’ll Love No Churn Ice Cream

produces a super creamy ice cream

the base is only 3 ingredients

no ice cream maker required(!!!)

Don’t get me wrong, I love homemade churned ice cream and I’m sure everyone would love to have a fancy contraption that churns out silky scoops with the press of a button… but the truth is, ice cream machines are kinda expensive and they take up a lot of precious space in your kitchen (speaking from experience here). Plus, you don’t really neeeeed one. Sweetened condensed milk is the key ingredient in this no churn method; it helps you achieve the creamy consistency of classic ice cream without any extensive mixing.

How to Make No-Churn Ice Cream

This ice cream begins with the popular no churn method from Martha Stewart. If you haven’t tried this simple homemade ice cream, now’s your chance! The base is 1 can of sweetened condensed milk & 1 pint of heavy cream and it’s super easy to make.

You whip the two cups (1 pint) of heavy cream into stiff peaks using a handheld or stand mixer, and then fold in 1 can of full-fat sweetened condensed milk. The sweetened condensed milk adds a silky, creamy texture as well as sweetness. Add any flavors or add-ins (I ALWAYS add vanilla extract), then spread into a container & cover and freeze for at least 6 hours.

That’s it. Homemade ice cream is the easiest!

How to Make Strawberry Crumble Ice Cream

There are three main components to this delicious, no churn strawberry crumble ice cream.

1. Strawberry Swirl

Prepare the strawberry sauce first. You can use a strawberry jam or strawberry preserves instead (hey, I won’t judge), but if you can get your hands on some fresh strawberries, I definitely recommend cooking your own strawberry sauce on the stove-top with sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. The homemade strawberry sauce will thicken on the stove and continue to thicken as it cools (I like to cool it down in the refrigerator.) I blended the strawberry sauce before cooling and swirling into the ice cream. This is totally optional! If you want strawberry chunks in your ice cream, don’t blend. I’m totally leaving that up to you!

You’ll end up with around 1¼ cups of the strawberry sauce (I use a little over a cup in this recipe.) Also, you can totally prepare the strawberry sauce up to 1 week in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

2. Crumble

While you’re waiting for the strawberry sauce to cool, prepare the crumble. You need flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, and melted butter. If you’re concerned about consuming raw flour (I mean I’m not, but I totally get it…), sprinkle it on a lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 3-5 minutes, then allow to cool before using. Ta-da! This heat-treated flour is safe to consume. Combine the flour with cinnamon and brown sugar, then gently mix in melted butter. The crumble topping stays surprisingly soft after the ice cream is frozen and, as you can imagine, tastes unbelievable with the strawberry swirls!

3. Ice Cream

Then put everything together! Fold in the crumble, then very gently swirl in the strawberry sauce. The ice cream will turn pink/red if the strawberry sauce is over-mixed. Just a couple folds with a large spoon or rubber spatula is all you really need.

Carefully spoon the thick ice cream mixture into a loaf pan or other deep bowl/pan and place in the freezer. That’s it! Super casual recipe here.

You can serve this ice cream in soooo many ways… build you own sundaes and top them with extra strawberry sauce and sprinkles, or serve a couple scoops with a number of delicious desserts like ultimate fudge brownies, or a mixed berry galette. OR you can be like me and stand next to the freezer eating your strawberry crumble ice cream straight out of the container while making dinner…. I won’t judge…

For the Ice Cream:

Instructions

Make the strawberry sauce: Combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, until sauce slightly thickens, stirring often. Use an immersion blender to puree strawberry sauce. (If you don't have an immersion blender, use a regular blender or a food processor.) Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. (I place it in the refrigerator to cool down quicker.)

Make the crumble: Using a fork, mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Add the melted butter and mix until crumbles form. Set aside.

Make the ice cream: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, then set aside. In a medium bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the sweetened condensed milk and softened cream cheese until well combined. Transfer roughly half a cup of the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk, and use a spatula to gently fold in the whipped cream. (This lightens the consistency of the sweetened condensed milk, so it doesn’t deflate the whipped cream when you combine the two.) Pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the remaining whipped cream, and carefully fold them together.

Gently fold the crumble into the ice cream mixture; then repeat with the strawberry sauce, only folding a few times to achieve the swirled look. (I use a little over 1 cup of sauce.) Spoon/pour the ice cream mixture into a deep, freezer-safe container or bowl. (I suggest a 9×5-inch loaf pan.) Cover tightly and freeze for at least 6 hours and up to 2 weeks.